What should I call it???

I am in the process of setting up a new blog so that I can once again share pictures with you all.  :)  BUT, I am having a hard time deciding what to call it.   Does anyone have suggestions?

Andrew had a good day today, as he bought a nice pickup in Bismarck for a reasonable price. 

I had a GREAT day, as I finally finished sewing the top of my king-sized quilt-top!!!  I've been working on it for 5 years at least (just every now and then), so it is a great feeling to have it finished at last! 

My dad did not have a good day, as he didn't have a single good hand in the 3 games of Rook that we played this evening (my mom and I had the Rook almost all night).    ;)

Mom and Jacob had normal days, I believe, and we all enjoyed the zucchini chocolate-chip muffins that my mom and I made for supper.

Have a wonderful last-day-of-2012!  May God bless us all richly in the upcoming year.~

Peace...

That's what this day was filled with.  We just rested and did not much of anything, outside of singing and reading for our church time, and counting our blessings.  It's nice to just do nothing once in a while!

My room is more organized...

I spent the morning dusting, reorganizing, and thoroughly cleaning my room (even washed the ceiling fan).  :)  It's amazing how things can get so out of order from day to day living!

The rest of the day was spent in cleaning the rest of the house; making some delicious supper (with peanut-butter pie or mint ice cream for dessert); and playing ping-pong for an hour before chores.  We're going to have our supper soon, once my dad is off the phone. 

I look forward to sleeping in in the morning (Lord willing, of course).  We have nothing happening tomorrow, so it will be nice to just rest! 

  Have a happy weekend! 

The new cows are home...

My mom and Andrew went to Bismarck (they met up with Lauretta up there) and had a successful business day (and brought home fabric for my quilt!). 

I went over babysitting the twins and their sister again.  We made all kinds of things out of playdough and "Exercised" on their treadmill....  

Shortly after I got home this afternoon, my dad arrived, pulling an unloading-chute behind the pickup.  Jacob and I bundled up and headed outside to help Dad get the pen ready for cows (chopping out the ice on that side of the big tire-tank; setting up some more panels; spreading straw; jacking up/down the chute), and finished just in time to unload the cows when the rancher brought them in a big pot-trailer.  My dad bought 40 young, bred cows (2nd calvers) to replace the old ones that were sold earlier and Jacob bought 2, plus my B. grandparents had called and told my dad that they wanted to give each of the 3 of us younger B.s a cow, (as they've helped their other grandchildren materially and wanted to do the same for us, they said----what a nice surprise and blessing!), so we each now have 1 more cow, resulting in a grand total of 45 new animals on the place tonight.  They are remarkably quiet!  I think they'll fit in with our herd nicely......

Starting on the letter....

While the girls were sleeping this afternoon, I started going through the year (reading on my blog) and writing down the main highlights so that my mom can take the list and then write out our annual New Years update letter.  I only got through February, so have a ways to go!  It's amazing how many things happen in just 365 days worth of living.

When I got home from work, everyone else was lazing around the house (except for my mom who was doing a session), so I suggested we all head out to the shop for some ping-pong practice, which we then did for the next 2 hours. 

My mom and Andrew are going to Bismarck tomorrow and I'm hoping they'll have time to buy some fabric for me so I can finish my quilt.  I cut out little samples of my fabric so they can have it for reference in the fabric store, if they have time to go...

I'd better get to bed, as I have an early morning of babysitting tomorrow.  :)

It came upon the midnight clear...

It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
From heavens all gracious King!"
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.

 

We had a delightful day, spent with my Bornemann grandparents in Mandan.  We arrived about an hour before the noon meal and helped Grandma with last minute preparations (peeled some potatoes, whipped cream for the pumpkin pies, rolled crescent-rolls, dished out the olives and pickles, and my dad carved the turkey).  Grandma had cooked up a genuine feast!!!   

 

After eating until we could eat no more, we cleared the table and did the dishes.  Then, we looked at a bunch of pictures (pictures from when Grandma was young, and then some of our pictures); opened presents; and listened to Christmas music.  Oh, and we sang happy birthday to my mom too....  Grandma gave mom and I two plants to add to our collection.  :)

 

When we got home, we gave my mom her birthday gifts, then ate another feast, but in much smaller quantities.  While the guys did the chores, my mom and I cleaned up the kitchen some, then played piano duets until everyone was in from outside.  Then, we watched "The Christmas Card" and another movie I gave to my mom about a young couple on the Dakota prairies.... 

 

It was a fun day! 

 

While my family and I don't keep Christmas in the way that most others do (as we don't believe anymore that this really is the time of year when our Savior was born), we are so very grateful for His coming to this earth to wash away the sins of the world and sing our praises to Him!  

 

I hope you all had a wonderful day as well.~

 

 

'Tis the night before Christmas and all through the house...

...not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse, thankfully!

Much was accomplished today: 

• The milk/cream got separated and we started some more buttermilk.
• Mom and I made candy-cane ice cream.
• Andrew bought another, even higher-quality camera and placed his other one on e-bay.
• My dad went and looked at some more cows and decided on the ones he wants to buy.
• We made our favorite Winter-time cookies---Ritz crackers (my dad bought the very last box at the grocery store!) with peanut butter between them, dipped in almond bark.  Yummy!!!
• I went babysitting for 6+ hours and made sugar cookies (snowmen, candy-canes, snowflakes, ginger-bread-men, etc...) with the girls.  Paula gave me a VERY nice gift of 2 cake-takers (different sizes) and a really cute cake-pan that makes 6 small cakes that look like ice-cream bars with a bite taken out of each one.  :)
• Mom and I gave the guys hair-cuts this evening.
• Plus, all of the usual day-to-day parts of living (chores, meals, dishes....) that all take time.
• I'm sure my mom and the boys did other things as well while I was away.

I was also surprised to receive a small box in the mail today from one of my great-uncles.  We've written back and forth a couple of times in the last year, as he wanted to let me know he/they are praying for me to find/be found by my future husband, soon.   This time, he sent me a very lovely pearl necklace with a note tucked under the label which says,

"You are some young man's pearl of great price.   Keep praying!"    

                                                                  .......and yes, I am praying, and waiting.......

...laughing all the way, ha ha ha...

My mom, Lauretta and I went to Bismarck today, as mom had clients to see and Lauretta ran the Betar (music therapy) table in the other room for her (she's working with/for my mom now one or two days a week) and I was along for the fun of it and to make my mom a scrapbook of the nice cards/notes she's received over the last 4+ years.   It was a fun day, even though we almost got crashed into by a driver who wasn't paying attention.  Another highlight of the day was that Mom and I stood next to the tallest/huskiest man in ND while doing a business transaction for Andrew (he was SOOO huge!).  The roads were pretty bad too coming home, but we talked and laughed all the way home.  :)  We went inside when we took Lauretta home, as they had some company they wanted us to meet. 

AND, we made it home, safe and sound.  Praise the Lord!  It is so good to be home...

Soon it will be Christmas day!

Which also means my mom's birthday will soon be here too.  :) 

We had so much fun skating this afternoon, and playing ping-pong, and even doing dishes!  Lauretta, Sarena, and their brother, Thaddaeus came and played ice-hockey with us and my parents even came up later and guarded the goals with shovels (as we ran out of sticks!) while the rest of us tried not to fall down while chasing the puck all over the ice.  Later, Andrew gave snowmobile rides, or rather, he gave sled rides, the sled being pulled behind the snowmobile.  Then, we all headed for our house and made some supper; played some music; ate supper; Dad, Andrew and Jacob did the chores while the rest of us did the dishes quickly; and after that we played ping-pong for about 2 hours before they had to head for home.    Praise be to God that nobody got seriously hurt during all of our adventures!

Still, still, still...

It is indeed still tonight.  I don't hear any wind anyway...

This morning/afternoon, I went over and cared for Johanna and Tracy Jo.  They are growing up so fast!   I got off early, so made it home in time to scrub the floor and make the dessert (chocolate cake with chocolate frosting) for supper.  After Jacob cut up the potatoes and I cut the carrots to add to our roast, we headed out to the shop to play ping-pong with our dad for a while before chores.  My mom was still inside cleaning the bathroom and finishing up some other projects.  Andrew sold and delivered his green 4-wheeler today, driving up to Hurdsfield to meet the buyer.  Now we're down to 1 little 4-wheeler and we're hoping Andrew buys some more to repair soon, as they do come in handy!  ;) 

We're praying for nice weather tomorrow for our ice-skating party!